A hundred flavors of life

Chapter 1278 Huayi's Backstabbing (Please Subscribe!)
When it comes to the most honored Chinese female stars, Gong Li is undoubtedly the one, and the Chinese female star with the most awards is the Hong Kong goddess. But when it comes to the most popular female star around the millennium, there is no one else but Little Swallow.

The TV series "Princess Pearl" achieved a peak viewership rating of over 65%, making Xiao Yanzi a household name throughout the Chinese-speaking world. She became the first mainland Chinese actress to earn 80 yuan per episode and the first mainland Chinese artist to appear on the cover of Asia Weekly. She was incredibly popular.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that she is unparalleled among actresses.

It can be said that in the past two years, every move of Xiao Yanzi has become the focus of entertainment and may become the headline of news. Therefore, when this princess cried about being treated rudely, it instantly ignited public opinion.

As a phenomenally popular national idol, Xiao Yanzi's accusations made the name 'Mei Changsu' an overnight target of public criticism.

First, there were the princess's classmates, who stood up to support her, along with the West Depot's Flower, Huang Xiaoming, and others, denouncing 'Mei Changsu' as a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Newspapers were filled with terms like "literary scum" and "beast in human clothing," with the Southern Daily even dedicating a full page to a special report titled "The True Colors of Literary Talents Exposed."

Television stations were broadcasting a series of criticisms from various experts on the "moral failings of intellectuals," while the "Today's Talk" program was seriously discussing the "legal definition of harassment in the arts and literature circles."

A certain entertainment program even edited together a clip of "Empress Rong pricking people with needles" and added the caption "Reality is more cruel than the plot," implying that the princess suffered similar persecution.

The most heated discussion took place online. According to a survey on Sina.com, 87% of netizens believed that "there's no smoke without fire" and that "Mei Changsu" must have done something to the national princess, after all, the princess is so innocent!

Angry netizens even launched a 10,000-person online signature campaign to "boycott Mei Changsu." Some radical netizens even went so far as to splash red paint on Hua Shier's residence in Tongde Lane, Suzhou, and post slogans such as "literary scum, civilized beast" on the Su family's door.

But no one expected the reversal to happen so quickly.

As the testimonies of Gong Li, Wang Jinhua, and the two Bingbings were successively revealed, public opinion began to show subtle divergence.

First, Professor Chang, Gong Li's mentor at the Central Academy of Drama, stated frankly in an interview with the Youth Daily:

“I know Gong Li. She would never stoop to lying, and she would never risk her reputation for something like this. I believe writer Xiao Su is innocent!”

Following this, Leslie Cheung and his wife, actor Leung, both publicly supported Hua Twelve in front of the media, expressing their belief in Teacher Su's character.

Most surprisingly, the princess, when interviewed by reporters and asked about this matter, directly launched an attack:
"Some people will do anything to get a role, and they will make up stories when they are rejected. They are a disgrace to artists."

Actually, Miss Wang had wanted to speak up for a long time, but she hadn't had the chance. When she finally got the chance, she couldn't help but swear. In her mind, even she didn't think much of the man surnamed Su, so how could he possibly be interested in a loud, big-eyed girl like her?

Well, these two best friends from the real world are completely cut off from each other in this world.

Zhang Ziyi originally wanted to voice her support for Hua Twelve, but the latter stopped her:
"Shut up. Your reputation isn't good. It hasn't been long since Chow Yun-fat's incident. Don't drag me down with you!"

After saying this, Hua Shier was given a playful slap with Zhang Yatou's little tiger teeth.

On Tianya Forum, a popular post titled "Three Questions for the Princess" was featured on the homepage:
First, why didn't you call the police immediately?

'Secondly, why did it take so many days to file the complaint?'

Third, between you, Gong Li, and the two Bingbings, who is lying?

The sudden reversal caught Gege's team off guard.

Following Hua Shier's counter-ban, it was like a depth charge thrown into the pond of the entertainment industry.

Actors who have artistic aspirations and aspire to enter the big screen and make their mark internationally were the first to react:
Zhou Xun, who was filming "Like Fog, Like Rain, Like Wind", suddenly missed a brand event she co-endorsed with Gege, citing "illness" as the reason.

Rumors of a recasting have surfaced regarding the upcoming drama "Romance in the Rain," but Aunt Qiong has stepped forward to support Xiao Yanzi, expressing her belief in her professional abilities and stating that the role will not be replaced. When asked by reporters about the "Yan-Su rivalry," Aunt Qiong said she does not interfere in the private affairs of artists.

The investors of "Shaolin Soccer" gave an interview, stating that they have begun to reassess the commercial value of Xiao Yanzi (Little Swallow).

The online debate is even more fascinating, with proponents arguing that "the joint testimony from multiple A-list celebrities increases its credibility," while opponents argue that "no proof or evidence is needed; setting aside the facts, how could such a lovely actress like Xiao Yanzi possibly lie?"

Okay, the prototype of the brainwashed fan group has been born.

Seeing that the situation was not optimistic, Gege's team launched an emergency public relations campaign. Her agent revealed to the media that "Little Swallow was overworked and may have had a memory lapse at the time of the incident."

At the same time, Gege's team also sent a message to Hua Shier, expressing their willingness to apologize privately and offer some compensation.

This is an admission that the previous statement was untrue, but unfortunately it's too late.

What's more, the other party's attitude was somewhat reluctant, as if they were forced to say "I was wrong, okay?", which made me want to punch them.

Hua Shier responded with just one word: "Get lost! Just wait to make the headlines!"

He kept his word, and the next day, the Gusu Daily held a small press conference to support 'Mei Changsu'.

During a Q&A session, a reporter asked Hua Shier for his views on the online debate and what he would like to say to his supporters.

Hua Shier first thanked the netizens who supported him, then changed the subject:
"There's absolutely no need for arguments. If arguments could determine right and wrong, then what's the point of having laws?"

"I would like to offer this advice to all netizens: when you encounter problems, learn to use legal means to protect yourself!"

The reporters were in an uproar; they all realized that a big story was about to unfold.

As expected, Hua Shier immediately produced written testimonies from Gong Li, Wang Jinhua, Shuang Bing, Zhang Ziyi, and others, and announced that he would formally file a police report with the Suzhou police, accusing them of defamation.

At the same time, a defamation lawsuit will be filed with the court, demanding that Gege issue a public apology and pay a total of three million yuan in damages for reputational and economic losses!

In the presence of a group of reporters, Hua Twelve went to the police station.

The man in the hat who received him said on the spot that he would check the witness testimonies, media coverage and other evidence submitted by Hua Shier, and then summon the parties involved to Suzhou to make a statement. After verifying the situation, he would decide whether to file a case.

On the day the report was filed, major television media broadcast the entire process of Hua Shier going to file the report. At the same time, Gege's team also received a call from the Suzhou authorities, summoning Gege herself to Suzhou for questioning.

However, this is not mandatory, but if the princess refuses, it could very likely have adverse consequences for her.

After consulting with lawyers, Gege's side expressed their complete remorse and held a press conference again. Gege cried uncontrollably in front of the camera, bowed and apologized in public, saying that the previous 'memory deviation' was caused by excessive work pressure, and produced a diagnosis certificate of 'mild depression' issued by the hospital.

To be honest, Gege's performance actually garnered a lot of sympathy, with many fans forgiving their idol on behalf of Hua Shier.

After communication between Gege's team and the Suzhou police via telephone and fax, the Suzhou police ultimately decided not to file a case and instead opted for mediation.

When interviewed by reporters, Hua Shier frankly stated that he would not accept the other party's apology. If Gong Li and her friends hadn't happened to be visiting his home, he would have been unable to clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River, facing the accusations from the "National Princess". Why should he forgive her just because she apologized?
He expressed his agreement with the police's decision not to file a case, but said he would continue to pursue civil compensation.

Privately, Gege's team called Hua Shier every day seeking a reconciliation.

Hua Twelve said he would go to court if he didn't have three million.

The other party said three million was too much, and after some haggling, said the maximum compensation would be five hundred thousand.

"See you in court then!" After saying this, Hua Shier stopped answering the phone. In Hua Shier's opinion, Gege hadn't even grasped the point. The point wasn't compensation, it was his blacklist!

One can imagine that as he collaborates more and more with Hollywood in the future, and as he becomes the key to success for Chinese stars in Hollywood, what kind of situation will Gege face in the industry?
At least in the film industry, no one will want to associate with her anymore!

Hua Shier took a break to call Lao De, and then Gege suffered another major blow.

Several international brands, including Avon, urgently withdrew all advertisements featuring "My Fair Princess".

Lenovo unilaterally terminated its negotiations with Xiao Yanzi as the brand ambassador.

Princess suffered heavy losses and was devastated.

In the end, Gege's team believed that the longer the matter dragged on, the greater the commercial losses would be, and they were forced to agree to a compensation amount of three million. In addition to the previous public apology, they met all of Hua Shier's demands to the media, just to settle the matter as soon as possible.

After receiving the money, Hua Shier kept his word, withdrew the lawsuit from the court, and announced the matter in an interview with reporters.

In April, Hua Shier went to Beijing, where his partnership with Wang Jinhua, "Tianxia Media," officially opened.

The artists signed by Wang Jinhua were incorporated into the artist department of "Tianxia Media". At the unveiling ceremony, Chen Daoming, Shuang Bing, Xia Yu, Hu Jun, Mr. Wu, Ren Quan, and Tong Dawei were all present.

Many celebrities were also invited, including Jiang Wen, Princess Wang, Na Ying, Leslie Cheung, Best Actor Leung, Liu Jialing, and others, making it a truly star-studded event.

After the unveiling ceremony, Wang Jinhua announced to reporters that Bingbing and Li Bingbing had signed a contract with Touchstone Pictures and would soon be heading to Hollywood to join their brother and actor Leung Chun-ying in filming the co-production "Final Destination"!
When the news spread, many people in the entertainment industry felt envious and jealous, which also added weight to Hua Shier's seemingly joking "anti-ban".

Gege suffered another heavy loss. Several film contracts she had were canceled due to projects that hadn't been finalized, such as "Shaolin Soccer".

The client also chose to terminate the cooperation on projects that had been agreed upon, such as "The Peerless Swordsman" and "So Close," which were under negotiation and would not be filmed until next year.

It's not that the production company cares about Hua Shier's ban; it's mainly that the actors they're working with don't want to take the risk. Take Shu Qi from "So Close," for example. She also dreams of making it in Hollywood. What if she can get help from Boss Su in the future? It's not worth being banned just because of this collaboration.

Needless to say, the male and female leads in "The Peerless Swordsman" were Liang Yingdi and Miss Wang, both friends of Hua Shier. How could they possibly work with the princess?

Suddenly, the princess became infamous in the film industry.

Of course, this is all for later.

During the unveiling ceremony, Ms. Wang kept moving closer to Hua Shier, which made others notice something was wrong.

Hua Shier whispered a reminder:

"Stop rubbing against me, or I'll call you a jerk!"

After the unveiling ceremony, Wang Jinhua, a local bigwig, booked a private clubhouse and held a banquet.

During the meal, Jiang Wen moved closer to Hua Shier and sat down next to him, shared a drink with him, and then smiled:

"Mr. Su, I heard you have three scripts to collaborate on with Hollywood. How about it? Are there any roles suitable for me?"

Hua Shier knew that this guy had been banned from directing for five years because of "Devils on the Doorstep," so now if he wanted to get involved in movies, he could only be an actor.

He chuckled:
"Director Jiang, I heard you've been banned from directing in China for five years. Would you be interested in trying your luck in Hollywood?"

Jiang Wen was taken aback: "Director?"

Hua Shier smiled and nodded: "I plan to set up a film company in Hollywood, backed by Disney's distribution channels, and we'll write our own scripts and make our own films!"

Wang Jinhua, who was sitting at the same table, and the other actors perked up as they listened. If this deal really came to fruition, they would all be actors in the company's movies when it was filmed in Hollywood. Logically and morally, they should be the ones to benefit from it.

Jiang Wen was still somewhat skeptical: "It's that easy? Don't try to fool me!"

Hua12 directly gave a positive answer:
"You should sign a contract with our company first. I'll get you a job as the assistant director for the film 'Final Destination' on Touchstone. You can familiarize yourself with the Hollywood filming process and operating mechanisms. Once you're comfortable, I'll get you a script. The company will take care of the investment, so you don't need to worry about it!"

Jiang Wen pondered for a moment, then smiled and said:

"Thank you very much for your consideration, Mr. Su. It's a deal. I'll down three drinks in a row, Mr. Su, please feel free to drink as you please!"

This guy picked up a bottle of Moutai, poured himself three glasses, downed them in one gulp, and then grinned from ear to ear.

Hua Shier also drank three cups with him, and immediately the whole room was filled with cheers.

Seeing that Jiang Wen had gained an advantage, Chen Daoming couldn't sit still any longer and said, half-jokingly:

"President Su, our own people haven't even had a meal yet, and you've already served Jiang Wen a bowl. You can't be so biased!"

With the company opening, Hua Shier naturally had to demonstrate his capabilities, and he said with a smile:
"I promised Gong Li I would write a script for her, it's a big commercial film, and there's a role in it that would be perfect for you, Teacher Chen. Would you like to give it a try?"

He was referring to the character Cross in "Wanted," a role where the father and son kill each other in the film. In fact, Jiang Wen would have been a better fit for the role, as he would have had more depth and explosive power than the actor in the original film.

But the problem isn't scarcity, but inequality. Jiang Wen has already been given an assistant director position, and Chen Daoming, as Wang Jinhua's top lieutenant, also needs some tangible benefits.

Upon hearing this, Chen Daoming immediately became interested and quickly inquired about the details of the role.

Hua Shier smiled and said, "The script is still under wraps, but this role has a lot of screen time. He's the second male lead and the male lead's biological father. There are scenes of father and son fighting each other, so there's a lot of room for him to act!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Daoming became even more interested: "President Su, then it's settled, you can't give this role to anyone else!"

The others at the table were also anxious, such as Hu Jun and Xia Yu, who were all looking at Hua Shier with longing, also wanting a chance to go abroad.

Hua Twelve coughed lightly, then said loudly:

"For this company opening, I've prepared several scripts, both for movies and TV series. Our company will invest in and produce them ourselves, so I guarantee everyone will have roles to play. As for Hollywood, if there are suitable roles, I will definitely recommend you there. So, work hard to improve your acting skills, comrades, don't go there and embarrass your American counterparts!"

Upon hearing the satisfactory answer, everyone was overjoyed, and Xia Yu even shouted:
"President Su is so generous!"

The following meal was a lively affair, filled with clinking glasses and cheerful conversation.

During the meal, emboldened by alcohol, Jiang Wen put his arm around Hua Shier's neck and whispered:
"Old Su, you're a man of principle, so I have to return the favor. I have something to tell you. Those two brothers from the Wang family at Huayi are up to no good with you because of Wang Jinhua's matter. They called me and said they've contacted a lot of people and want to get rid of you in the industry!"

"I didn't agree to their offer. I refused outright. I, Old Jiang, would never do something like resorting to underhanded tactics!"

"Not only that, I've also heard that they've contacted people in the publishing industry to target your novel, using reasons such as it being suspected of promoting feudal superstition and violating social moral norms to have it removed from shelves. You'd better try to find some connections and smooth things over in advance!"

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